We are workers together for God, and you are like a farm that belongs to God. And you are a house that belongs to God. Like an expert builder I built the foundation of that house. I used the gift that God gave me to do this. Other people are building on that foundation. But everyone should be careful how they build. The foundation that has already been built is Jesus Christ, and no one can build any other foundation. – 1 Corinthians 3:9-11

Yesterday served as another good example of how a great Sunday sets up a wonderful Monday and a positive week going forward.

Wake Forest Presbyterian Church‘s annual congregational business meeting went well (read yesterday’s post for the super-cool PowerPoint that went with Rebekah’s report). It always helps, of course, when the finance and generosity team present a healthy, optimistic, fiscal overview. Not only did 2016 finish up in the black, we now have an active capital fund, a realistic plan to retire the debt, and new staff in place to support a growing ministry to families. All told, including special offerings for mission projects, WFPC members supported the work of the church last year to the tune of $1.2 million.

It’s amazing how loving a generous God produces such generous hearts in those who follow Jesus.

CHRIST the FOUNDATION: Pastor John shared a thoughtful message reflecting on a simple principle that – I believe – must be transformational if we let the truth of it settle into our consciousness as disciples.

Whatever we are doing in life, everything from relating to our spouse, to conducting business, to being part of a church, to the way we treat people, to posting our thoughts on social media… turns out to be a reflection on the foundation we are building on.

We must – the Apostle Paul points out – build everything on the foundation of Jesus. If we do that, we’re going to be solid, we’re going to be consistent, we’re going to impact the world in ways that are direct responses to Christ’s imperative of love.

We can’t be iffy, partial, optional, or part-time about this; we can’t have any foundation other than Jesus. If our bottom line is self, if it is materialistic, if it is another person, if it is political, if it is nationalistic… then our foundation is flawed, and the building of our life is not going to hold up.

I shared the following idea in The unmaking of a Part-Time Christian: Faith in God is not after-market, add-on, optional, or a part-time lifestyle choice; a relationship with God is what we were all specifically designed for, from the very beginning.

Faith in God is not after-market, add-on, optional, or a part-time lifestyle choice; a relationship with God is what we were all specifically designed for, from the very beginning.

That’s why our foundation has to be Jesus, with everything rooted in the commitment to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27)

• In love, and because of love – DEREK

The Unmaking of a Part Time Christian